Door signal device



l Nach 8, L, L VERKUIL DOOR SIGNAL DEVICE 2 Shee-ts-Sheet l Filed Sept. 17, 1947 INVENTORi w Z. Wiu

BY v MM /Q M ATTORNEYS March 89 1949., L. L. VERKUIL DOOR SIGNAL DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17, 1947 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR l Zw fefimi BY f1.1 l H Patented Mar. 8, 1949 DOOR SIGNAL DEVICE Leo L. Vel'kuil, Norwalk, Conn., assignor to Edwards and Company, Inc., Norwalk, Conn., a corporation of New York Application September 17, 1947, Serial No. 774,508

5 Claims.

This invention relates to audible signalling devices and more particularly to signalling devices for actuation by the opening of a door or by engagement with some other movable element.

The object of the invention is to improve audible signalling devices.

Another object is to improve door actuated signalling devices such as door-operated mechanical chimes and the like.

A further object is to improve the actuating mechanism for such devices, including the actuating member or arm to be engaged by the door or other movable operating element.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings taken in connection With the appended claims.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements,

and arrangements of parts as will be exemplied in the structures to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown by Way of illustration several possible embodiments of my invention:

Figure 1 is a face View of a door chime embodying features of the present invention, the cover being shown in section to reveal internal construction of the device;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a face view of the upper portion of a door 4and door frame with the door chime mounted thereon for actuation by the door as it is opened;

Figure 4 is a section similar to the section on Figure 2 of a modified door chime embodying further features of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical section through a door and door frame showing the door chime mounted on the door for actuation upon opening of the door; and

Figure 7 is a vertical section through a door and door frame showing another means for mounting the door chime for actuation by the door upon opening thereof.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to Figures l, 2 and 3 the door chime ID comprises a substantially rectangular base plate I2 having its outer edge I3 turned down lll to provide rectangular mounting face adapted to rest against the surface of a door frame such as door frame I4 for door I5. The edge I3 is smoothly cut 01T to lie in a plane which can rest against the door frame. Plate I2 is provided with suitable mounting holes in which are inserted screws IS or other fastening elements to securely mount the door chime on the frame.

A cover I I for the chime comprises a generally rectangular or boxed-shaped housing provided with openings il to permitthe tone emitted from the chime to issue from the housing. The housing enclosure provided by the cover and base plate thereby comprises a resonating chamber for the chime elements as Well as a protective housing. Cover II is of such dimensions as to nt snugly over the edge of base plate I2 and may be provided with interlocking bumps or tongues for engagement with suitable recesses or slots in the edge of the base plate or may be attachedl to the base plate by screws or other fastening elements. For convenience of mounting it is preferable that cover II be readily attachable and detachable from base plate I2 to permit the user to insert screws I6 in the base plate for mounting purposes and subsequently attach the cover to complete the installation.

The chime mechanism comprises a sound emitting element, preferably in the form of a chime bar I8 formed of a straight nat piece of resilient metal tuned to vibrate at a frequency which will yield a pleasing tone when struck. In the preferred embodiment illustrated a second chime bar I9 tuned to vibrate at a different frequency from bar i8 is also mounted within the housing. Thus, bar I8 is supported by a pair of rubber grommets 20 inserted through spaced holes in bar I8, the grommets being tted over the bar by small ears 2l on the upper ends of lugs 22 punched out and turned up from base plate I2 near one edge. Chime bar I9 is similarly mounted along the opposite edge of the base plate so that bars i8 and I9 are resiliently mounted in spaced face to face relation.

It is obvious that one of the chime bars such as bar I9 may be omitted from the assembly if a single note chime is desired.

The sounding element or striker for energizing the chime bars to cause them to emit musical tones may preferably comprise a member 23 supported between chime bars to be actuated in one direction to strike bar i8 and in the opposite direction to strike bar I9. In the device illustrated striker 23 comprises a pair of nut-like parts 2l!y which are screwed together on a short threaded stem with a normally-straight flexible spring 25 interposed between them. Each of parts 24 carries a striking pin 26 preferably formed of nonmetallic material such as plastic, wood or the like press-fitted into recesses in the outer face of the part. The striker pin is formed of such material as to yield a pleasingly soft tone when it strikes the chime bar.

Flexible spring 25 which supports the striker may comprise a thin normally at strip of spring steel having a small aperture at its mid-point through which the striker parts are joined and a pair of narrow tongues 21 at its two ends. These tongues extend through washers 28 and apertures in the mid portions of another pair of flexible leaf springs 25 which in turn are supported near their ends on rubber grommets 30 which are threaded over mounting ears 3l on lugs 32 punched up from the base plate l2 in aligned positions; the two lugs 32 for supporting one of the springs 25 being aligned in a direction across the base plate near one end of the chime bars, and the other two lugs 32 near the other end of the chime bars.

The spacing between leaf springs 29 is less than the length of striker support spring 25 so that spring 25 will be bowed by support springs 29 into an arcuate shape. Support springs 25 will also bow slightly outward. Striker 23 is thus held normally adjacent to but spaced slightly from one of the chime bars, such as bar i3.

The actuating mechanism for the striker comprises a rotatable shaft 33 supported for rotation in a sheet metal bracket 34 riveted, welded or clinched to base plate I2 near one end of the unit between chime bars. The bracket is provided with a pair of aligned bearings 35 formed 'by bending a pair of lugs formed of one edge of bracket 34 into tubular shape to receive shaft 33. A sheet metal channel 36 is itted over shaft 33 between bearings 35 and secured to the shaft by pin 31 or by welding or brazing and carries a pair of spaced arms 38 comprising extensions of the channel walls at one end of the channel member in parallel relation to positions on opposite sides of spring 25 a short distance inside its point of support on the adjacent leaf spring 29. The spaced ends of arms 33 are turned inward towards spring 25 and are cut in such a manner as to be tapered to points 39a and 35h for alternately engagingopposite faces on striker supporting spring 25. Channel 36 has an integral arm 46 at its other end extending upwardly and provided with a hole at its end to receive the hooked end of coil spring 4I. into the small lug42 turned up from a portion of sheet metal bracket 34 which is spaced away from bearings 35. Coil spring 4I is of such length as to be held in tension and thereby tend to rotate shaft 33 in such a direction as to press upper point 39a against leaf spring 25.

The tension of coil spring 4I is sufciently great so that if striker 23 is in upper position near chime bar I6 spring 4I will ex leaf spring 25 downward through mid-position to the lower position shown in Figure l. As spring 25 passes through mid-position its supporting springs 29 are bowed outwardly thereby increasing their pressure against ends of spring 25 so that, as soon as it passes mid-position, springs 29 aid spring 4I in urging the striker downward. It will be apparent that springs 29 cooperate with spring 25 to provide a toggle-action assembly and that coil spring 4| biases the assembly in the rest position shown in Figure 1. During the downward move- The other end of spring 4l is hooked 1 ment the inertia of striker 23, due to the rapid motion after spring 25 passes mid-position, will carry the striker beyond the rest position shown to impinge the lower striker pin 26 against chime bar l5 with a single clean stroke after which the striker will rebound and come to a stop in the rest position shown. The tubular bearing por tions 35 have integral lugs |35 extending between the walls of channel 36 to limit the rotation of the channel and shaft in both directions to a distance of travel suicient to permit operation of the striker without interference but insufficient to allow the control arm to be displaced excessively from its normal range of travel.

Shaft 33 extends laterally out of the left hand end of the housing through a slot 43 in one end of cover Il and carries at its outer end an actuating arm 44 formed of an inner section 45 and outer section 46 hingedly connected together.

Inner section 45 comprises a die casting or piece of sheet metal formed into a channel of substantially U-shaped cross-section and into an archedshape from end to end. The two side walls 48 at the inner end of section 45 are provided with aligned substantially rectangular slots and the outer end of shaft 33 is machined or cut away to provide a attened portion which extends through aligned slots, the end of the shaft being peened over to lock the arm to the shaft. In case of a sheet metal arm a short metal sleeve may be placed over the shaft between side walls 48 to prevent bending of the walls when the shaft is peened over. Section 45 of the arm extends parallel to the end face of cover il and makes an angle of a few degrees with the plane defined by the free edge i3 of the base plate, that is with the mounting plane of the door chime unit. While the angle which arm 44 makes with the mounting plane may be varied over a substantial range it is preferably rather small and in any event it is desirable that the arm make a substantial angle with a perpendicular to the mounting plane.

The two side walls of inner section 45 of the arm are provided at their outer ends with a pair of extending ears 41, which are offset slightly from side walls 48 of section 45 to lie in parallel planes slightly within the inside faces of walls 48. Outer section 46 of the arm also comprises la sheet metal channel whose side walls 49 are aligned with side walls 43 of the inner section so that sections 45 and 46 together present a continuous smooth outer surface of pleasing appearance. By virtue of their oiset relation with respect to walls 46 the two ears 41 can enter between side walls 49 of outer section 46. The ears 4l and side walls 49 are provided with aligned apertures and a pivot pin 50 is inserted through these apertures to hingedly connect sections 45 and 46 of the arm, the ends of the pin being enlarged after insertion to prevent subsequent removal of the pin. The inner edges of side walls 49 at their hinged ends are rounded inward on a radius about pin 56 to permit arm section 46 to swing in a clockwise direction (as shown in Figure 2) to substantially right angles with section 45. However, the rounded crown portion of U-shaped arm 46 is not similarly cut away so that the adjoining ends of arms sections 45 and 46 form cooperating abutments to prevent the rotation of section 46 beyond a position in which it is in substantial alignment with section 45.

A section of spring wire 5I is wrapped around pin 56 and has its ends extending along the bottoms of the aligned channels provided by arm sections 45 and 46. This spring 5l biases outer section 46 of the arm to a position in alignment with inner section 45, in which position the rounded crown portions of arms sections 45 and 46 are in abutment. 'I'he springs being relatively weak, however, the outer section of the arm can readily be rotated in clockwise direction (as seen in Figure 2) by a relatively light force against the outer end of the arm without causing any rotation of shaft 33.

The two side Walls 49 of outer section 43 extend beyond the crown portion at the free end of the arm to provide a pair of parallel arms 54 between which is pivoted a small roller or wheel 52 which is preferably molded or formed from a single piece of durable plastic such as phenol formaldehyde resin or suitable plastic. If desired a metal roller can be used and provided with a smoothly rounded rim in order to provide the roller, which will travel over a surface, such as the edge of a door, with a minimum of abrasion to the surface. Roller 52 is pivoted between the extended arms 5 of arm section i5 by a small pin or axle 53.

The preferred mounting arrangement for the device is shown in Figures l, 2 and 3 wherein the chime box is mounted against the face of door frame i4 inside a room by placing base plate I2 against the door frame and attaching it by screws I6 after which the cover Il is replaced. The

device is mounted with shaft 33 in horizontal posi- ;v

tion and the end of arm 44 extending downward into the path of travel of door l5 which is mounted in the frame for opening into the room. The best mounting position is one in which the device is mounted above the door near the hinged .y

side oi the door as this results in somewhat slower operation and a more pleasing tone. The roller 52 preferably has its pivot axis slightly below the path of the upper edge of the door as seen most clearly in Figure 2. Upon the door being opened into the room as indicated by the arrow in Figure 2 the upper edge of the door engages roller 52 thereby rotating the entire arm 44 in a counter-clockwise direction (as seen in Figure 2), thus rotating shaft 33 to bring actuating end 39h on lower arm 3S against the under .side of spring to snap the spring upward and impinge upper striker 26 against chime bar It to emit a musical chime signal thereby advising the occupant of the room that someone is entering. As arm de rotates it carries roller 52 in a circular path from its lowerrnost position A (Figure 2) to a higher position B in which the roller just clears the path of the top of the door. It reaches position B shortly after the chime has been actuated and as the door continues to swing open the roller travels across the top edge of the door and drops down on the other side. As soon as the door has opened widely enough to release the end of the arm it swings back to the arm rest position with roller 52 again in position A. In so doing spring 4| actuates striker 23y downward to impinge lower striker pin 25 against chime bar I9, if one is provided, to give a second chime signal or musical tone of a diierent tone from the first tone produced. This serves as a second signal incase the rst one has been overlooked.

When the door swings closed it will again engage roller 52, this time 'from the opposite edge, so that it will rotate arm section in clockwise direction to bring the roller to position C without disturbing the rest oi the arm. This permits the roller to ride back over the top surface of the door until it can drop o and return to position A, under the influence of spring 5l, thereby pre- 6 paring the chime for operation upon the next opening of the door.

Figures Li and 5 illustrate a modified arm construction which can be substituted for arm 44 in the chime illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. Modihed arm 56 has an inner and outer section 55 and 55 respectively, similar in construction to sections @5 and :it and arm section 5e carries roller 52. Inner arm section 55 is pivoted on shaft 33a but in this arrangement the pivot apertures in section 55 are circular and the end of shaft 33a is also of circular cross section so that arm 54 is not directly keyed to the shaft. A section of coil spring 5l is wrapped around shaft 33a between side walls 58 of the arm and has a short section 59 extended diametrically through a slot or transverse hole in shaft 33a to key the springr to the shaft. The other end Se of spring 51 extends down inside arm section 55 generally parallel to the crown. portion of the arm and in contact with it and a pin 5l extends through the arm just inside spring end iii) so that the arm is constrained by the spring in both directions. Spring 5l is relativeiy stiff so that rotation of arm 54 in a counter-clockwise direction will bring pin 6l into engagement with the projecting end of the spring and will rotate shaft 33a through the spring to operate the chime.

Spring 5i provides a protection device which prevents damage to the chime in case of undue force appiied to the arm 54 as a result of improper mounting, accident or other causes. In the norma-i operation of the device the spring acts substantially as a rig-id member but it will yield suiiciently to prevent dama-ge in case of excessive force applied to the arm in either direction tending to force the arm beyond its normal limits of travel.

Figure 4 also shows a latch member 62 comprising a small wire hook pivoted on a pin E53 extending through side walls 53 on arm section 55 near its outer end. Hook 62, when not in use may be turned up to the position shown in solid lines in Figure 4 so that its hooked portion te is retracted between the walls 58. The latch member is wrapped around pin 63 with a sufliciently tight t to hold the latch in this position by friction. When it is desired to put the chime out of service outer arm section 55 is simply rotated in a clockwise direction (as seen in Figure 4) to a position substantially at right angles to section 55 as indicated by dotted lines in Figure e and a latch E2 is swung vdown and its hooked end t@ is hooked over a small pin G5 bridging the side walls of channel section 56 a short distance above roller This latches the upper section ci the arm out of the path of the door to take it out of service.

Since the usual practice in stores and the like is to provide the entrance door opening into the room the mounting illustrated in Figures l to 3 will be the one most generally useful. However, the device can also be applied to doors which open outwardly where it is desired to have the signal mounted within the room. Two means for moi* ting the chime device for such operation are illustrated in Figures 6 and '3. In Figure 6 the chime it is mounted on the door t5 itself, preferably on the frame portion enclosing the door panel near the upper edge of the door. The device is mounted with armiM extending upwardly and a small L-shaped metal bracket 57 is attached to the underv face of the stationary door frame 58 o-r door jam 69 so that one a-rrn of the l. projects down into the path of travel of aieasaz roller 52' as the door swin-gs open. When the door is opened outwardly the arm 44 is rst rotated away from the door by bracket El to give the rst chime tone and then as roller 52 falls off the edge of bracket 6l the second chime tone is given. When the door closes bracket 6l' rotates the outer section of arm 44 sufficiently to permit roller 52 to roll over the edge of the bracket and snap back into its normal position preparatory to operation when the door is opened again.

Figure 7 illustrates another method of mounting in which chime device lll is mounted on the stationary door frame SS in much the same 1ocation as shown in Figures 1 to 3. In this case a bracket 'i formed of a strip of sheet metal may be secured to the inner face of door t6. This bracket has an arm 'il projecting outwardly from the door at right angles to the mounting portion and a short depending end portion 'l2 bent down at right angles to the outer end of arm Il in such a position that, when door E6 is closed, the outer face of portion l2 will engage roller 52 and rotate arm Ml sufficiently to operate the chime. As long as the door remains closed arm M will be held in this operated position. When the door is opened arm '34 will be released and allowed to return to its normal position during which operation the second chime note will be sounded. Upon the door again closing the arm will be engaged by bracket l to sound the rst chime note and prepare the device for operation on subsequent opening of the door.

While the present invention, as to its objects and advantages, has been described herein as carried out in specific embodiments thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereby but it is intended to cover the invention broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A door signal device comprising a sound emitting element, a sounding element therefor operable to energize said sound emitting element, a support having a mounting face adapted for mounting on a door frame or the like, an arm pivoted at one end to a rotatable shaft on said support and extending laterally therefrom, said sounding element being operatively coupled to said arm by a plurality of coupling elements including at least one resilient element for actuation thereby responsive to rotation of said arm toward a position approaching a perpendicular to said mounting face, said arm comprising an inner section at the end pivoted to said shaft and an outer section hingedly connected thereto, whereby said outer section is swingable about said inner section, said sections having cooperating abutments thereon to limit the swing of said outer section in a direction away from the plane of said mounting face to a limiting position substantially in alignment with said inner section, said outer section being swingable in the opposite direction to form a substantial angle with said inner section, whereby said inner and outer sections will function together as an actuating arm for said signal device responsive to engagement of the outer end of said arm by a door or the like to rotate said arm in a direction away from the plane of said mounting face and said outer section will swing independently of said inner section responsive to force applied to the outer end of said arm in the opposite direction, and a spring engaging said inner and outer sections for returning said outer section to said limiting position of substantial -alignment with said inner section.

2. A Idoor signal device comprising two spaced chime'elements, a support therefor having a mounting portion adapted for mounting on a door frame or the like, a striker on said support movable in a rst direction to strike a first of said chime elements and in another direction to strike the second of said chime elements, an arm pivoted at one end to a rotatable shaft on said support and extending laterally therefrom, said striker being yieldably coupled to said arm by a plurality of coupling elements for actuation thereby to strike said rst chime element responsive to rotation of said arm in a first -direction and to strike said secon-d chime element responsive to rotation of said arm in the opposite direction, said arm comprising an inner section at the end pivoted to said shaft and an outer section hingedly connected thereto, whereby said outer section is swingable about said inner section, said sections having co-operating abutments thereon to limit the swing of said outer section in the first direction to a limiting-position substantially in alignment with said inner section, said outer section being swingable in the opposite direction to form a substantial angle with said inner section, whereby said inner and outer sections will function together as an actuating arm for said signal 'device responsive to force applied to the outer end of sai-d arm in said rst direction and said outer section will swing independently of said inner section responsive to force thereon in the opposite direction and a spring holding said inner and outer sections in substantial alignment in the absence of external forces thereon.

3. A door signal device comprising two spaced chime elements, a support therefor having a mounting portion adapted for mounting on a door frame or the like, a striker on said support movable in a first direction to strike a rst of said chime elements and in another direction to strike the second of said chime elements, an arm comprising two substantially U-shaped sections pivoted at one end to a rotatable shaft on said support and extending laterally therefrom, said striker being yieldably coupled to said arm by a plurality of coupling elements for actuation thereby to strike said first chime element responsive to rotation of said arm in a rst direction and to strike said second chime element responsive to rotation of said arm in the opposite direction, said arm comprising an inner section at the end pivoted on said shaft andan outer section hingedly connected thereto, whereby said outer section is swingable about said inner section, said sections having co-operating abutments thereon to limit the swing of said outer section in the first direction to a limiting-position substantially in alignment with said inner section, said outer section being swingable in the opposite direction to form a substantial angle with said inner section, whereby said inner and outer sections will function together as an actuating arm for said signal device responsive to force applied to the outer end of said arm in said first direction and said outer section will swing independently of said inner section responsive to force thereon in the opposite direction and a spring disposed partially within the channel formed in. said inner section and partially within the channel formed in said outer section holding said inner and outer sections in substantial alignment in the absence of external forces thereon.

4. A door signal device comprising a chime element, a housing therefor having a mounting face for mounting on a door frame or the 1ike,.

a Shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and projecting therefrom substantially parallel to said mounting face, a striker in said housing and operatively coupled to said shaft for actuation thereby to strike said chime element, and an arm having one end yieldably pivoted on said shaft by a spring external of said housing and forming a substantial angle with the perpendicular to said mounting face, said arm comprising an inner section at the end pivoted on said shaft and an outer section hingedly connected thereto, said sections having (zo-operating abutments thereon to limit the swing of said outer section in a direction toward said perpendicular to a limiting position substantially in alignment with said inner section, said outer section being swingable in the opposite direction to form a substantial angle with said inner section and a spring holding said inner and outer sections in substantial alignment in the absence of external forces thereon.

5. A door signal device comprising a chime element, a housing therefor having a mounting face for mounting on a door frame or the like, a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and projecting therefrom substantially parallel to said mounting face, a striker in said housing and operatively coupled to said shaft for actuation 10 thereby to strike said chime element, and an arm having one end yieldably pivoted on said shaft by a spring external of said housing and forming a substantial angle with the perpendicular to said mounting face, said arm comprising an inner section at the end pivoted on said shaft of substantially U-shaped cross section and an outer section of substantially U-shaped cross section hingedly connected thereto, said sections having co-operating abutments thereon to limit the swing of said outer section in a direction, toward said perpendicular to a limiting position substantially in alignment with said inner section, said outer section being swingable in the opposite direction to form a substantial angle with said inner section and a spring holding said in ner and outer sections in substantial alignment in the absence of external forces thereon..

LEO L. VERKUIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 746,196 Strahan Dec. 3, 1903 2,412,978 Fish Dec. 24, 1946 

